Ford S-MAX and Galaxy achieve 5 stars in safety
The new Ford family cars, the Ford S-MAX and the Ford Galaxy minivan have won the 5-star safety award, which is the highest score awarded by the independent Euro NCAP crash test authority.
This guarantee of safety is achieved in these new models thanks to the incorporation of second-row side airbags and seat belt pretensioners for the first and second rows, for the first time. This system adds protection against side impacts for passengers and also includes seat belt pretensioners for the first and second row of seats with load limiters to improve the safety of the rear seat occupants.
And in addition, the structure of the chassis uses high strength steel and an intelligent design that improves the protection against impacts. Both vehicles use high strength hydroformed steels in the A, B and roof pillars, which improves the results in the event of side impacts.
Both models offer a pioneering technology in the segment such as the Pedestrian Detector Precollision Assist, which reduces the severity of some frontal collisions involving vehicles and pedestrians, or can even help drivers to avoid some collisions altogether.
Exceptional protection for drivers, passengers and pedestrians
Both the new S-MAX and the Galaxy incorporate sophisticated safety technologies that include our Pre-collision Assist, which offers exceptional protection to drivers, passengers and pedestrians, "says Roelant de Waard, Vice President of Marketing, Sales and Service, Ford of Europe.
For example, the new S-MAX and Galaxy's second-row side airbags join the existing driver and co-pilot airbags, knee airbags and the first, second and third row curtain airbags. Belts with notice in the three rows of the Galaxy and in any of the seven seats of the S-MAX if specified help parents to ensure that their children are properly restrained. The use of hydroformed steel contributes to a three percent increase in chassis strength.
New technologies to avoid accidents
These are the technological innovations that incorporate the new Ford S-MAX and the Galaxy:
1. Lane Maintenance Assistant, which detects if a driver changes lanes without indicating it and alerts him by vibrating the steering wheel and displaying a visual warning on the instrument panel.
2. Split Front Camera, which shows the driver a wide viewing angle from the front of the car, thanks to a video camera installed in the grille. At a crosswalk with poor visibility or at the exit of a road, the camera allows drivers to detect vehicles, pedestrians or cyclists that are being incorporated.
3. Blind Spot Information System that allows drivers to detect vehicles in their blind spot when they change lanes.
4. Carril Involuntary Change Alert, which responds when a vehicle is changing lanes and applies a steering wheel turn to make it return to the correct lane
5. SYNC 2 with Emergency Assistance, a voice-activated technology that allows drivers to keep their eyes on the road and their hands on the steering wheel and can directly connect vehicle occupants with local emergency service operators after an accident.
Other advanced technologies of the new S-MAX and Galaxy for city and highway are:
1. Intelligent speed limiter, which combines the functionality of Traffic Sign Recognition and Adaptive Cruise Control and which, when activated, scans traffic signals and adjusts speed to help drivers stay within the speed limits
2. Adaptive LED headlights with long lights that do not dazzle detected by the vehicles that circulate ahead and blur the beam of light to avoid dazzling other drivers, maintaining maximum lighting in the other areas.
